


Everything's Coming up Aces

by positronic



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Character Study, Child Abandonment, Endgame Riker/Troi, Found Family, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 09:44:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/positronic/pseuds/positronic
Summary: Will Riker has gone through a lot to get where he is today.





	Everything's Coming up Aces

**Author's Note:**

> A couple things:  
> 1\. I don't own Star Trek or these characters. It's just for fun.  
> 2\. This has been in my drafts for ages, I can't keep fixing it, so here we are.  
> 3\. Will Riker is not straight, and nothing will convince me otherwise.  
> 4\. Peter David's "Imzadi" has it's own version of how Will and Deanna met, but it's not canon, and I like my version better lmao.  
> 5\. Title is from PATD's "Hey Look Ma, I made it." It's a ref to Will's mom but also poker. B)

The first time William Riker had a crush on a girl, the year was 2347.

He was twelve years old and had just started school for the year. Summer was coming to a close, and the chill of fall was beginning to set in. Leaves and pine needles had barely started to fall from the trees, and they crunched underneath his feet as he walked toward the school. His hands grasped the straps of his backpack where they were slung over his shoulders.

The minute he stepped into the doorway to the classroom, he stopped in his tracks.

There, sitting in the front row, was possibly the prettiest girl he had ever seen. She had long, dark hair that was pulled into a ponytail and the most dazzling smile that had him floored. He didn’t recognize her, and figured she must be new this year. She was sitting talking to another classmate, the two of them laughing at some story one of them had told.

Will didn’t realize he was staring until someone bumped into him, trying to get into the classroom as well. He stumbled forward and shuffled off to the side, mumbling a “sorry” as the person passed him and sat in their seat. He stared at this new girl for another moment before moving to take a seat in the back of the classroom.

As the teacher started talking about the class’s curriculum, Will found himself daydreaming yet again. Though, this time it wasn’t about his future self, captain of a starship, traveling throughout the universe in search of the unknown and meeting new and interesting people. It wasn’t about the planets that had yet to be discovered at the other end of the galaxy, with beings over three meters tall with seven eyes.

No, this time it was about the cute girl at the front of the class (whose name he had discovered was Alexandria, but she preferred the nickname Lex). He hadn’t even said hi to her yet, but he had a strange urge to... hold her hand, or something. Maybe even invite her over to look at his model starships.

At that thought, Will frowned. Surely his dad wouldn’t want people over. His dad didn’t mind him having friends, but they were never allowed over to his house. He had always given some excuse like “the house is too dirty” or “I’m going to be busy tonight,” but Will knew he just didn’t want people over in the first place.

Will sighed and rested his head on his hand. His father was gone for a few days in San Francisco, doing something for Starfleet Command, and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. Will would have to ask about inviting her over once his father got home. It was a long shot, but wouldn’t hurt to try.

The next evening, Will was standing in the kitchen making himself some dinner. And by dinner that meant a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup. For some reason his father hadn’t wanted to share, they didn’t have a replicator in the house, so Will was left to cooking for himself while his father was away. He didn’t mind, though. It gave him something to do after he finished his homework.

As he was just finishing up his dinner, the front door opened and his father walked in. Will lit up. His father didn’t even look up to say hello, just went straight for the stairs.

“Hey, Dad, wait!” Will called, jumping off the bar stool and standing at the base of the stairs, looking up at his dad. “Can I invite a friend over tomorrow?”

His father grunted and turned around, looking down at him. “No,” he said, then turned back around and went up the stairs without another word.

Will frowned and his shoulders drooped. Not even an excuse this time, just a plain, simple, no. He stared after his father for a minute before turning around and walking back into the kitchen. He cleaned up and put away his dishes quietly, willing himself not to cry as he did so. Then he trudged up the stairs and climbed into bed, crying himself to sleep for what felt like the hundredth time.

In the end, his attempts to be friends with Lex didn’t go anywhere.

Being the new kid at school, she had drawn the attention of nearly everyone, and Will was just another face in the crowd. Why be friends with the quiet, always distracted kid with daddy issues when you could be friends with the popular kids with admirals for parents?

Will was no stranger to being left behind, so he didn’t let it bother him.

Too much.

* * *

He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but Will really missed his mom. She had died when he was only two years old, but Will felt like a piece of himself died with her. He had never known any life with her, but wanted her with him so badly.

Books and films and endless kinds of entertainment he studied in school detailed children’s relationships with their parents, and listening to these stories made him long for the loving touch, the kind words and gentle encouragement from his mom.

After every 100% on a spelling test, every win for the school football team, every successful presentation of a science project, Will wished that, just once, someone would be there to take pride in his accomplishments, to tell him how great of a job he did, how much they loved him.

It wasn’t until years later that he realized this yearning for his mom was caused more so by his father’s lack of parenting than actually missing his mom. He had craved a supportive parent, and Kyle Riker was anything but.

How Will managed to be a successful and impassioned adult is beyond even his own belief.

* * *

The first time Will Riker had a crush on a boy, the year was 2351.

He was sixteen years old and sitting on the edge of a cliff, legs dangling and gazing out into the wilderness. Wind ruffled his hair just slightly, the crisp air filling his lungs. The sun was shining warm on his face and he sighed happily, turning his head toward the heat.

“Don’t fall asleep on me now,” came a voice from his right. He laughed and opened his eyes, turning to look at the person next to him.

Will and his best friend Charlie had skipped class that day and instead took off into the wilderness of Alaska, hiking up until their legs couldn’t carry them any further. They had stopped for a while now, snacking on provisions Will had brought, letting themselves relax and enjoy the view.

“Hey, you have to admit, this is super relaxing,” Will said, leaning over and nudging Charlie’s shoulder with his.

Charlie was a boy about the same height as Will, his hair fiery red and eyes a gorgeous hazel, with freckles all over his face. The two of them had nearly every single class together. They had been in school together for years, but hadn’t become friends until about a year ago, when Kyle (Will had stopped calling him ‘dad’ a long time ago) completely gave up and left Earth to work on some mission. Will didn’t know the details, but didn’t honestly didn’t care to. He had known this day was coming, but the finality of his father’s leaving hit him harder than he had expected.

One day after school last year, Will had gotten home to find a message from his father explaining that he didn’t know when to be back, and not to expect him soon. Will had skipped dinner and cried himself to sleep that night, feeling more alone than he had in years.

The next day he had walked into class, eyes bloodshot and swollen, his hands shaking. The teacher had asked him what was wrong, so he made up a lie. Something about a pet fish dying. Having a near absent father had made him a terrifyingly good liar.

Charlie had walked up to him that day during lunch. He sat down next to Will and struck up a conversation, making him laugh for the first time in days. Since then, the two of them had been inseparable.

“Didn’t say it wasn’t relaxing. I just don’t want to have to carry your sleepy ass down this slope. You’re the brawn of this relationship, I’m the brains,” Charlie said, grinning.

Will smacked him on the arm. “Hey!”

Charlie burst out laughing and leaned into Will, face buried in his shoulder.

“I kid! I kid. You’re super smart, you know that.”

Will laughed along with him and leaned his head on Charlie’s head, looking out to the distance once again. The two of them fell silent, listening to each others’ breathing and the sound of birds in the distance.

After a few minutes, Will looked down to see Charlie’s hand moving to take his, their hands joining on Will’s thigh. The contact made Will’s heart flutter and his cheeks warm, and he sat up slightly, making Charlie sit up as well. He moved to take his hand out of Will’s, but Will squeezed his hand as reassurance.

Will moved his other hand up to cup Charlie’s face, tilting his chin up and bringing their lips together softly. His heart hammered in his chest and he smiled into the kiss, feeling Charlie smile back.

“Your eyes look amazing in this light,” Will said after a moment, grinning at Charlie.

Charlie just laughed and pulled Will back in for another kiss.

As to be expected with any teenage romance, their relationship didn’t last. Not through any fault of their own, but purely circumstance. They had never solidified what they were, and although the two of them cared deeply for each other, they drifted apart as time went on.

Will sometimes thought back to those days, the days where he was happy and carefree and could drop everything to go hiking with someone he loved at a moments notice. He missed it, but although those memories hold a bittersweet connotation, he wouldn’t trade his life now for the world.

* * *

 Will passed the Starfleet Academy Entrance Exam on his first try. His senior year of highschool had been entirely dedicated to passing his classes and studying for the exam. After he and Charlie had drifted apart, Will went back to being the loner at school. He had no one to spend time with outside of class, and thus spent all his free time studying.

That childhood dream of captaining a starship felt like it was within his grasp the day he found out he had been accepted. He didn’t have anyone to share his excitement with, but he baked himself a cake and celebrated alone. The loneliness stung, deep in his chest, but he pushed that feeling to the back of his mind, relishing in the pride he felt in himself.

Kyle had been out of the picture for over three years now, and it was getting easier for Will to think about. Whether it be due to time or the fact that Will had repressed his feelings regarding his father, he didn’t know. Regardless, he was thankful for it.

The moment Will had stepped foot onto the Starfleet Academy campus, it felt like a breath of fresh air. He had been packed for months leading up to the start of the term, anxiously waiting for the day he could leave. As much as he adored Alaska and the comfort it brought, seeing the house, so many of the rooms empty and dull, made his heart ache in a way he’d rather not think about.

As to be expected, Will got along with the culture of the Academy like a house on fire. He threw himself into his work, made tons of new friends, and even joined the Academy band, where he met a young man named Geordi La Forge. They didn’t spend much time together, but Will thought he was one of the most brilliant engineers he had ever seen.

The Academy healed and rejuvenated Will in a way he didn’t know he needed, and the loneliness and despair of his adolescence faded into background noise.

* * *

 That is, until a few months after he joined the academy. All students were required to attend monthly therapy sessions to monitor their mental health and keep everyone in good spirits. Will realistically knew these precautions were wise, but on the other hand, it forced him to think about things he’d rather forget.

His father had been out of his life for the last few years, his mother for even longer, and the more his therapist encouraged him to talk about himself and his inner psyche, the more it felt like his feelings regarding the both of them were starting to bubble to the surface. He had tried to hard to keep them buried deep in his mind, pushed to a corner and ignored for the rest of his life, but his resolve was starting to waver.

At either his second or third session, Will couldn’t remember, his therapist had managed to get him to talk about his relationship with his father. The moment he mentioned that his father had been gone for the last few years and he had been living alone, his therapist’s face paled and she looked absolutely horrified.

She had gone straight to the authorities, and Will had been questioned and grilled in any which way they could think of. He had tried so hard to block all of that out, and the questioning was like they were taking an ice pick to all the feelings he had frozen solid.

And then, even after all the questioning, nothing was done about it. Kyle’s reputation was of great importance to Starfleet, and since Will had seemingly turned out “well adjusted” (in their own words), they did their best to brush it under the rug.

Will, for one, was thankful for this as it wasn’t something that would follow him everywhere. He could go on without the pitiful looks from everyone, and without them checking to see if he was alright. He had gotten used to strangers coming up to him and talking positively about his father. The last thing he wanted was for all of that to change.

On the other hand, his therapist quite obviously thought the opposite. She couldn’t say anything directly, let alone do anything about it, but it was written all over her face. Despite her limitations, she talked Will into doing a few extra sessions with her to help work through all the bad memories the process had brought up.

The therapy had helped, a lot, but there were remnants of that experience that even it couldn’t heal.

* * *

 The first time Will Riker had a crush on someone who was neither a boy or a girl, the year was 2354.

He was nineteen years old, in his second year at the academy, and at a dorm party. Someone had bribed the floor advisor to look the other way for the evening, and the hallways were flooded with dim purple and blue lighting. Something that resembled Andorian rock music blasted from the common room, so loud that Will felt like his bones were going to vibrate out of his body.

The person who had set up the party was a third year cadet named Zephyr. They were currently standing on the coffee table and dancing to the music, with others cheering and dancing around the table. Rainbow lights were flashing from the makeshift disco ball someone had put together, and it looked like a late twentieth century rave.

Zephyr’s long, dark braids were pulled together behind their head to keep them out of the way, and their shirt seemed to be seconds from falling off their shoulder. They were laughing wildly as the song ended, and ruffled someone’s hair affectionately. They made eye contact with Will and jumped off the coffee table. The next song started, and everyone went back to dancing.

Will had been standing at the edge of the room, quietly sipping his drink, and eyeing Zephyr the whole time. The two of them had met in their Ancient Philosophies class and had been flirting off and on for a few weeks now. After a study session had turned into anything but, they had been messing around more often, much to their mutual enjoyment. They hadn’t talked about anything concrete, but Will was having fun with this little game between the two of them.

The pounding of the music faded into the background as Will locked eyes with Zephyr, their eyes sparkling and lips turning up into a grin. The bright colors of the party complemented their skin beautifully, and Will thought they had never looked more attractive than them in that moment. He mimicked their smile and bit his lip, keeping eye contact with them until they were nearly pressed against his chest, hand at the back of his neck and drawing him into a kiss.

Will felt his back hit the wall as Zephyr walked the two of them backward, but he couldn’t find it in himself to mind. The empty cup dropped to the ground. Will’s arms moved to wrap around their waist, holding them close to him. After a minute he pulled back just slightly, their lips still brushing against each other.

“Mm. This is nice,” Will said, voice quiet and gravelly.

Zephyr laughed and drew him back toward them. “You talk too much.”

This little game between the two of them lasted for a few months. They messed around with each other and playfully flirted, but Will wanted more. He wanted a more solid, emotional and romantic connection with Zephyr, but they didn’t want the same thing.

As much as they cared for him, Zephyr was not interested in pursuing something romantic. Will had been heartbroken, but understood, and still found them to be a valuable friend. They had drifted back to being completely platonic, and it took a while, but Will eventually got over them.

* * *

 The day Will found out he had been stationed on the _Pegasus,_  he nearly screamed in excitement. The time between graduation and his first assignment had been agonizing, and now that this day was finally here, he could barely believe it. All those years of hard work and even more years of endless day dreaming had all been worth it.

That is, until he actually did his time on the _Pegasus_.

Sitting in that escape pod, watching the ship explode, along with everyone on it, Will thought he was going to throw up. He had never regretted his decision of joining Starfleet more than he did that day. Everything had gone wrong in such a short period of time. Captain Pressman had assured him they had done the right thing, but Will hadn’t been so sure.

Endless questioning and interrogation later, and the investigation had been buried, just like the thing with his father. There was too much at stake, the admirals had said. They couldn’t risk anyone else finding out about it.

And so Will was sworn to silence. Which, on his part, wasn’t a problem. Even thinking about the _Pegasus_ and all the people who lost their lives brought a vile taste to his mouth. He blocked much of the experience from his memory, burying it deep inside his mind, just as Starfleet Command did.

After participating in two coverups in such a short amount of time, Will sometimes doubted how morally superior Starfleet actually was, but he preferred to remain optimistic that these were simply the outlier, and he was just that unlucky.

* * *

After the _Pegasus_ incident, Will had been stationed on Betazed. This was likely due to the fact that Starfleet hadn’t wanted to put him back on a starship just yet, and Will was inclined to agree. The idea of a repeat of the incident terrified him, and even setting foot on a starship made him uneasy. Being stationed on a planet for the time being was more than okay with him.

The most notable event from his tour on Betazed was him meeting a psychology student by the name of Deanna Troi. They had first met at a conference held at the capital of Betazed, where Will was attending as a Starfleet officer, and Deanna was participating as part of an internship. Neither of them wanted to be there, and they ended up sneaking out through the back, running through the rain and into a cafe, their formal wear soaking wet, laughing. The two of them hit it off instantly.

As weeks turned into months, Will felt more connected to Deanna than he had ever been to anyone in his life. She had taught him to communicate with her telepathically, a feat that took months to master, and in turn, he taught her to cook, showing her the skills he had taught himself growing up.

Deanna knew more about him than anyone, and vice versa. Will loved her with all his heart, and knew she did as well. She had taught him the word _imzadi_ as a descriptor for the relationship the two of them had, and although Will didn’t fully comprehend the weight of the word as he was not a native speaker of the language, he thought it was perfect.

Starfleet soon transferred Will to the _Potemkin_. There had been lots of conversations between him and Deanna regarding the transfer, and although it broke both of their hearts, they knew Will had to go. This was his dream, after all, and he couldn’t put his career on hold for them. Not yet.

They had stayed in touch, and Will promised to meet her on Risa for a vacation a few months later.

He never made it to Risa, and that’s something Will never stopped regretting.

* * *

 Will’s tour of duty on the _Potemkin_ , and later the _Hood_ , had been largely uneventful.

After the disaster of the _Pegasus_ , Will tried to keep his head down. He did what was required of him, and did it with excellence, but kept his distance. He minded his own business, and didn’t seek out companionship with his fellow officers like he had done before, other than what was necessary. Normally one for conversation, Will felt incredibly isolated. As much as it hurt, he knew he had to keep his distance.

That front he had set up was shattered toward the end of his tour on the _Hood_ , when the ship had been faced with a situation so dire that Captain DeSoto thought it warranted his presence. Will had disobeyed orders and prevented the captain from beaming to the planet, much to his annoyance.

He knew the captain was angry, and there was a great risk of him facing a court martial, but Will had always put the needs of others before his own. The safety of the ship was more important than whatever consequences he might have faced as a result.

That stunt had put him back on Starfleet’s radar, and more specifically, the radar of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

* * *

When Will had been offered the position of first officer aboard the _Enterprise_ , the flagship of the Federation, he had been ecstatic, if not a little bit nervous. The post itself scared him more than the actual position he was holding. Him? On the flagship of the Federation? It seemed too good to be true. Those nerves stayed with him until a few months after he beamed aboard for the first time.

After a while, the rigidity in his posture and attitude Will had adopted began to fade. A sense of friendship had enveloped the crew, and Will felt happier than he ever had in his life. Through loss and success and hardship and joy, they had stuck together and Will had begun to consider them his family.

Captain Picard had changed from a rigid, arrogant, boss to a respected and honored colleague, whose opinion Will valued immensely. He had relaxed significantly around Will, and tended to treat Will as an equal, rather than an officer below him. Will looked to Picard as moral guide, and in some ways was like the father he never had.

Data, Geordi, and Beverly had become close friends of Will’s and he greatly appreciated their companionship. From away missions to endless nights of poker, their presence in his life brought Will joy, and he adored them.

Worf had been a bit of a challenge to get close to, but Will considered him a great friend. In his own way, Will knew Worf cared about him too, and saw him as an honored warrior. Will honored Worf, too.

And Deanna… God, Deanna. Will thought that having her back in his life was going to make things difficult, but found it was the exact opposite. The two of them were instantly drawn to each other again. They had made the decision to keep things between them lowkey, limited to a kiss here, a lingering touch there. Will from years ago would have not been able to handle this level of distance between them, but at this point in their lives, it worked. Will respected and supported her in any relationships she pursued, and she did the same for him.

These people had become his family. After growing up without one, finally finding a place where he could be himself around people who loved him, and who he loved in return, was cathartic. He wouldn’t tell anyone, except Deanna, but he had cried over it on more than one occasion.

And now here he was, standing over a cake someone had made for him, eyes closed. The crew had put together a small birthday party for him in Ten-Forward, and they were waiting for him to blow out the candles. Will took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and blew them out.

“What did you wish for, Commander?” Data asked, head tilted to the side in curiosity.

Will smiled. He looked to Data, then to Geordi, Beverly, Jean-Luc, Worf, Deanna, then back to Data.

“I’ve already got it, my friend.”


End file.
